Welcome to Grade 9 English at Newtonbrook Secondary School!


Visit this page often to view and download important course material and information. Course material is attached to the calendar below and corresponds with the date it was covered in class. Due dates are noted in red, special events are in blue and homework assignments that will be checked are in purple.


FEBRUARY 2014



MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY




31
First day of semester 2
3-2-1
Student Profiles
Brainstorm Expectations
3
Human Bingo


Class Contract


Letters - make sure you hand in your response by the end of class!

4
Reading Diagnostic
5
Course Outlines - remember to bring your course outline signed by you and your parents tomorrow!

Introduction to Advertisements - definitions on the board, handout about persuasive techniques in advertisements.

Analysis of print ads - discussion in pairs and small groups.

6
Finish discussion of print ads from yesterday

View and analyze commercials



Read "Online Marketing" Article (distributed in class), and make the following notations on it:

! beside ideas that surprise you
check mark beside ideas you agree with
? beside ideas that confuse you
X beside ideas you don't understand, or ideas you disagree with.
Make sure you've read the article and made these notations on it for homework if you didn't finish it in class!
7
Discuss "Online Marketing" Article from yesterday

Work on "Online Marketing" Activity in the Library. Make sure this is completed for homework this weekend if you are not already finished!

10
Photo Day
Semester 1 Reports Out
Discuss Online Marketing Activity from Friday's class
Introduce Advertising Assignment and select products and target audiences

Work Period on Advertising Assignment in room 228 - come up with your slogan and campaign, and work on a rough draft of your print ad
11
Work on your advertising assignment in the library - focus on creating your print ad
12
Work on your advertising assignment in the library - finish your print ad and work on your rationale. This is the last work period in class for this assignment; the rest must be completed at home!
13
Course Walkabout
Watch Wayne's World and complete the worksheet about the role of advertisements in this film.

14
Advertising Assignment due! Hand in your print ad, rationale, and rubric at the start of class.
Finish watching Wayne's World and discuss the worksheet about the role of advertisements in this film.
17
Family Day - No Class
18
Take-up "Wayne's World and Advertising" handout from last week

What is News? - Board Note

Parts of a news article - handout.

Read and analyze a news article (2 handouts) - complete this for homework tonight if it is not finished by the end of class!

Return Letters and Reading Diagnostic
19
Early Dismissal

Check and take-up news article analysis from yesterday.

Discuss Bias and Slant (handout) in newspapers.

Activity - determine the bias and slant in two photographs (handout)

Bias and slant in a news article - read two articles (handout) and respond to the following questions about the articles:
1) What is the slant in the first article? What about the second? Select specific words or phrases used in both articles to support your claim.
2) How does the first article represent the words of Doris Jones? What about those of Eric Fronek? How are they represented in the second article?
3) Explain how the tone of each article preceding the quotes mentioned above affects how the reader interprets their words.
4) How do you as a reader know which story to believe? What makes you lean towards one or the other, or mistrust both articles?
Make sure this is finished for tomorrow if you didn't finish in class, because it will be checked and taken up!
20
Check and take-up questions from yesterday

Newspaper Article Elements - test announcement (next Wednesday!). Study the handouts from Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and use the handout below to review the article distributed in class today. You may also choose to use this handout and analyze articles that you find in the newspaper yourself in order to practice before the test.

Newspaper Article Elements Practice - use the handout below to analyze the news article distributed in class today ("Danish zoo shoots healthy giraffe, feeds it to lions"). If you do not finish this in class, complete it for homework - it will be checked and taken up tomorrow!

21
Check and take-up Newspaper Article Elements Practice from yesterday

Introduce Newspaper Article Assignment (handout) and begin working on rough notes for it.
24
Guidance Visit - first half of the period in room 217
Print out your MyBlueprint Confirmation and return signed by your parents ASAP!
Work on Newspaper Article Assignment in the Library for the second half of the period
25
Early Dismissal
Work period on the Newspaper Article Assignment in the Library
26
Newspaper Article Eelements Test
27
Introduce short stories with Parts of a Story (handout)
28
Newspaper Article Due! Remember to hand in your rough notes, good copy, and rubric!

Introduce figurative language with Similies and Metaphors (handout ) - review this handout as a class

MARCH 2014


MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
3
Finish Similies and Metaphors handout from Friday

Read "Gore" by Sarah Ellis and work on the vocabulary and questions. Finish this for homework tonight if it isn't finished in class - it will be checked and taken up tomorrow!
4
Early Dismissal

Check and take-up "Gore"

"Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl - read and work on questions. Finish this for homework tonight if it isn't finished in calss - it will be checked and taken up tomorrow!
5
Finish working on "Lamb to the Slaughter" - this will be checked again and taken up tomorrow, so make sure you finish it today in class or for homework!

"The Interlopers" by H. H. Munro - read the story and work on the questions. This will also be checked and taken up tomorrow so make sure it's finished for homework if you don't finish in class!
6
Interim Reports Out

Check and take-up "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Interlopers"

Distribute our novel - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon and start to read. Complete the novely before April 7 - there will be a comprehension test on this date!
7
PA Day - No Class
10
March Break - No Class
11
March Break - No Class
12
March Break - No Class
13
March Break - No Class
14
March Break - No Class
17
"Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer - read and respond to questions. This was taken up at the end of class.

Return newspaper articles
18
Introduce Paragraph Writing with the handout below.

Sample paragraph written on the board as a class.
Introduce paragraph assignment


19
Work period on pragraph outline.
20
Work period on pragraph outline.

Bring your novel to class tomorrow!
21
Late Start

Paragraph Assignment Outline Due

Short Story Test Announcement - our test will be next Friday. Know the short story elements discussed in class and be able to answer them about a sight short story. Also know how to write a paragraph and be prepared to write one about the short story.

Reading period - use this time to read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
24
Return Paragraph Outlines
Work on Paragraph Rough Draft in the computer lab
25
Early Dismissal
Read "Borders" by Thomas King and respond to questions on handout. This will be checked and taken up tomorrow, so make sure you finish it for homework if you didn't finish it in class!
26
Rough Draft of Paragraph Due

Paragraph Peer Edit - return your partner's work to them before the end of class, and hand in your peer edit checklist.

Take-up "Borders"
27
OSSLT - No Class
28
Short Story Test
31
Paragraph Due - attach outline, peer edit checklist, and evaluation checklist to your good copy

Watch "Tapping the Potential", Steve Paikin's interview on The Agenda with Jacob and Kristine Barnett and respond to the questions on the handout while watching. This was discussed in class.
Tapping the Potential


Return and take-up short story test from last week




APRIL 2014

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY

1
Read and discuss articles about Autism

Riddles - complete with a partner and take-up in class
2
Begin watching the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and completing the questions about the film.

Updated marks distributed.
3
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Period C and D classes in the morning - no English class today
4
Late Start

Continue watching the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and working on the questions.
7
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime Comprehension Test - make sure you've finished reading your novel!

Introduce Reader's Theatre Assignment and select groups and themes



Return Paragraphs
8
Finish watching the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and discuss the questions

Work on Reader's Theatre Assignment in the Library - focus on gathering your quotes
9
Work on Reader's Theatre Assignment in the Library - focus on gathering your quotes
10
Early Dismissal

Work on Reader's Theatre Assignment in the classroom - focus on creating your script from your quotes
11
Work on Reader's Theatre Assignment in the classroom - focus on rehearsing your script. Make sure you know what you need to do/bring in order to be ready for Monday's performance!

Return and discuss Curious Incident test and distribute midterm report marks
14
Term 2 Begins

Reader's Theatre Performances - hand in one copy of your script and individual worksheets after your performance!

Introduce Literary Essay about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NIghttime.


15
Work period on Curious Incident Literary Essay Outline.
16
Work period on Curious Incident Literary Essay Outline.
17
Curious Incident Literary Essay Outline due at the end of class!

Work period on Curious Incident Literary Essay Outline.

Return Reader's Theatre marks
18
Good Friday - no class
21
Easter Monday - no class
22
Return Curious Incident Literary Essay Outlines.

Introduce MLA citations and format (handout - essay writing and citations booklet)
23
Work Period on Curious Incident Literary Essay Rough Drafts in the computer lab.
24
Mid-Term Reports Distributed in Period A

Work Period on Curious Incident Literary Essay Rough Drafts in the computer lab.
25
Curious Incident Literary Essay Rough Draft due!

Peer edit of Curious Incident Literary Essay Rough Drafts.

Remember to hand in your peer edit checklist at the end of the period!

Bring an electronic copy of your rough draft to class on Monday so you can work on your good copy.
28
Return Curious Incident Peer Edit Checklists

Work period - Curious Incident Literary Essay good copy in the computer lab.
29
Early Dismissal

Introduction to Shakespeare - celebration of Shakespeare's belated 450th birthday!

Shakespeare's biography - a quiz (handout)

"Words and Phrases Coined by the Bard" (handout)

Introduction to The Globe theatre (handout)
30
Curious Incident Literary Essay due! Attach your outline, peer edit checklist, rough draft, and rubric to your good copy!

Where do you stand on the seriousness of social offenses? (handout and class discussion)

"Star Crossed Lovers" (handout)

Plot overview of Romeo and Juliet (handout)



MAY 2014

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY



1
Distribute copies of Romeo and Juliet

Distribute chapter questions for Act 1 (handout)

Assign parts for the reading of Act 1

Read and discuss the Prologue, as well as iambic pentameter (board note). Complete the definitions and questions for the Prologue on the chapter questions handout for tomorrow.
2
Check and take-up definitions and questions about the Prologue from yesterday

Read Act I Scene i as a class and complete the questions for this scene in class. If this is not finished, please complete for homework as it will be checked and taken up on Monday.
5
Check and take-up questions for Romeo and Juliet Act I Scene i

Read Act I Scenes ii and iii and work on questions. If you did not finish these questions in class, make sure they are finished for the start of class tomorrow. They will be checked and taken-up!
6
Check and take-up questions for Romeo and Juliet Act I Scenes ii and iii.

Read Act I Scenes iv and v and assign questions for homework. They will be checked and taken up tomorrow.

Introduce Queen Mab Speech Assignment and introduce Choral Reading Strategies. Sign up for groups and lines, and begin working on your presentation.


7
Check and take-up questions for Romeo and Juliet Act I Scenes iv and v.

Assign roles for Act II of Romeo and Juliet.

Work on Queen Mab Speech Assignment.
8
Early Dismissal

Work on Queen Mab Speech Assignment. Make sure you rehearse - presentations are tomorrow!
9
Queen Mab Speech Assignment Presentations!

20 minutes at the start of class to meet in your group and do last minute preparations before presentations begin.

Return Curious Incident literary essays
12
Finish Queen Mab Speech Presentations

Distribute Act II question sheet

Read Act II Scenes i, ii, iii of Romeo and Juliet

Work on definitions for this Act and questions for these scenes. This will be checked and taken up tomorrow so make sure you finish this for homework if you don't finish in class!
13
Check and take-up definitions and questions from Act II Scenes i, ii, and iii from yesterday


Read Act II Scene iv of Romeo and Juliet as a class. Work on the questions for this chapter - if you don't finish in class complete before class tomorrow, as they'll be checked and taken up!


Distribute Act II Quotations Worksheet and work on this assignment in class

Return Queen Mab Speech rubrics and distribute updated marks
14
Check and take-up Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene iv questions from yesterday

Read Romeo and Juliet Act II Scenes v and vi as a class

Assign roles for Romeo and Juliet Act III

Work on quotations worksheet (due tomorrow!) and questions for Act II Scene iv. These scene questions will be checked and taken up tomorrow so complete them for homework if you didn't finish them in class!
15
Romeo and Juliet Act II Quotations Worksheet due at the start of class!


Prom

Check and take-up questions for Romeo and Juliet Act II Scenes v and vi

Review format for next Friday's test on Romeo and Juliet

Read Romeo and Juliet Act III Scenes i and ii

Assign roles for Act IV Scenes i and ii
16
Read Romeo and Juliet Act III Scenes iv and v, as well as Act IV Scenes i, ii, iii and iv.

Assign roles for ActIV Scene v and Act V
19
Victoria Day - no class
20
Announcement - Romeo and Juliet test moved from Friday, May 23 to Monday, May 26

Finish reading Romeo and Juliet
21
Introduce Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment and work period on this assignment


22
Work period in the classroom on Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment
23
Dismissal at 12:15

Work period in the classroom on Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment
26
Romeo and Juliet Test


Late Start

Bring your Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment to work on if you finish the test early
27
Early Dismissal

Scarlet and Grey Day - Special Schedule


Work period in the Library on the Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment - focus on writing/typing your written analysis.
28
Romeo and Juliet Comic Assignment Due!

Introduce Culminating Activity and distribute writing folders for this task. All components of the Culminating are to be completed during class over the next two weeks!

Begin reviewing notes and returned assignments in preparation for the culminating, and decide on ideas for each writing task. When you are ready, begin working on your first writing task to get ahead of the game for tomorrow!
29
Arts Night

Work on culminating writing task #1 in class - rough draft of cover story
30
Work on culminating writing task #2 in class - rough draft of letter to the editor

JUNE 2014


MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
2
Work on culminating writing task #3 in class - rough draft of comic

Return Romeo and Juliet Tests
3

Athletic Banquet


Work on culminating writing task #4 in class - rough draft of print advertisement
4
Culminating Activity rough draft catch-up day
5
Culminating Activity editing day - remember to edit your drafts in a different colour than they are written in.
6
Moratorium

Work Period on culminating activity - publish your good copy in the Library

Romeo and Juliet Comics returned and term marks distributed
9
Moratorium

Work Period on culminating activity - publish your good copy in the computer lab
10
Moratorium

Work Period on culminating activity - publish your good copy in the Library
11
Moratorium


Work Period on culminating activity - finish publishing your good copy in the Library

Culminating Activity due at the end of class - include your published good copy at the front of your folder along with all rough work!
12
In-Class Exams during Period B

Distribute exam review package and work on completing it.
13
In-Class Exams during Period A


Work on exam review package. Make sure you finish for Monday if you didn't finish it in class, because we will be discussing it in class then!
16
In-Class Exams during Period D

Review format for exam and give tips on writing and preparing for the exam

Return Culminating Activities and Updated Marks
17
In-Class Exams during Period C
18
ENG 1D Exam - 9:00-10:30am in room 208

Exams
19
Exams
20
Exams
23
Exams
24
Exams
25
Exam Review Day - 1/2 day schedule
26
PA Day - No School
27
PA Day - No School
30
Summer Vacation!